Easy-peasy for McClaren as England romp to victory

Last updated at 11:02 04 September 2006

England 5 Andorra 0

Steve McClaren is making things look easy. He followed up the 4-0 defeat of Greece by going one better against awful Andorra.

Spurs' Jermain Defoe and Liverpool's Peter Crouch each bagged two goals and Steven Gerrard, also of Liverpool, blasted the other as England eased to a 5-0 victory in the opening European Championship qualifying match at Old Trafford.

Last time England spanked one of Europe's minnows in a qualifying game, Kevin Keegan was in charge and Luxembourg were on the receiving end of a 6-0 pummelling.

But Andorra deserved a good hiding. They set their stall out to defend but were a goal down after five minutes.

And once Crouch had struck, it was downhill all the way for the little nation of 70,000 best known as a ski resort on the border of France and

Spain.

Defoe received the ball with his back to goal, turned a tucked a neat pass into the path of Ashley Cole, who poked the ball to 6ft 7ins Crouch to supply a measured left-foot finish.

Gerrard made it 2-0 with an unstoppable drive after 13 minutes, chesting down a ball from Chelsea new boy Cole before rifling it into the top corner.

Owen Hargreaves was impressive, snapping around in midfield and even coming within inches of his first England goal, rattling the woodwork once in each half.

Minutes before half-time Defoe slammed home his first - and England's third - with an exquisite left-foot volley.

He was denied a second by a reflex save from Andorra keeper Alvarez before the break but made

it 4-0 at the start of the second half, ghosting in behind the ungainly opposition centre-halves to blast home from just yards.

McClaren sent on subs Aaron Lennon and Kieran Richardson and used the last 25 minutes to experiment with three at the back - Cole, John Terry and Wes Brown.

Straight away Crouch made it five, finishing a Lennon cross with a good header - his 10th goal in 13 England games.

The only disappointment for McClaren will have been an unnecessary booking for Manchester United's Brown, for a high challenge in the last minute of the first half.